WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump[1] is again playing loose with the facts, claiming a drop in illegal border crossings that no longer exists while blasting a source in a news story who does.
He is also assailing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election, falsely suggesting the probes have failed to yield any meaningful results and distorting reality in asserting they are simply intended to justify why Democrat Hillary Clinton[2] did not win the presidency.
Among other questionable claims in the past week, he also said he’s provided the first big military pay increase in a decade and had “finally” delivered on improved care for veterans. .
Here’s a look:
TRUMP[3], on a possible summit with North Korea: “The Failing @nytimes quotes ‘a senior White House[4] official,’ who doesn’t exist, as saying ‘even if the meeting were reinstated, holding it on June 12 would be impossible, given the lack of time and the amount of planning needed.’ WRONG AGAIN! Use real people, not phony sources.” - tweet Saturday.
THE FACTS: Actually, the source does exist. The White House[5] official addressed a group of reporters as part of a background briefing arranged by the White House[6] press office.
While Trump[7] has criticized the use of unidentified sources and labeled information related by anonymous officials “fake news,” his White House[8] regularly arranges briefings with officials who demand anonymity before relaying information. An Associated Press reporter in attendance at last week’s briefing questioned why it was not on the record - meaning that the official’s name could be used. The official said Trump[9] had been talking publicly that day and so the briefing was intended to provide “background context.”
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TRUMP[10]: “This whole Russia Probe is Rigged. Just an excuse as to why the Dems and Crooked Hillary lost the Election and States that haven’t been lost in decades. 13 Angry Democrats, and all Dems if you include the people who worked for Obama[11] for 8 years. #SPYGATE[12] & CONFLICTS OF INTEREST!” - tweet Saturday....
TRUMP[13]: “Who’s going to give back the young and beautiful lives (and others) that have been devastated and destroyed by the phony Russia Collusion Witch Hunt? …”- tweet Saturday.TRUMP[14]: “Why didn’t the 13 Angry Democrats investigate the campaign of Crooked Hillary Clinton[15], many crimes, much Collusion with Russia? Why didn’t the FBI[16] take the Server from the DNC? Rigged Investigation!” - tweet Sunday.THE FACTS: Trump[17]’s suggestion that the investigations into Russia meddling are “phony” and have yielded nothing is incorrect. So far, four Trump[18] associates have been charged in Mueller’s investigation, of whom three have pleaded guilty to lying to the authorities. Among them